Words and Photos by Kayla Gutierrez
Attending the AfroPunk Festival was beyond anything I could’ve dreamed. On my way to the venue, I befriended three women at the bus stop, who were also attending the festival. I tagged along with them, and they were very kind to me.
I felt right at home, it felt it was meant for me to come here. I said to myself, “These are my people.” I befriended, and socialized with a few people during the journey to AfroPunk, and during the festival.
Here are the photos I had the privilege of taking at AfroPunk Fest:
The entrance of the festival
The Joyful Trio
The Singer and The Filmmaker
The Bright Star
The Sweet Pact
“What Makes You A Crafty Betch?”
Kettle Brand, Art Hoe Collective, Girl Mob, Loud Speaker, Bitch Craft
Bitch Craft: For Traditional African Tribal Facial Art
Where Artists Come To Roam
AfroPunk Swans
I wasn’t able to get everybody’s names, the names given to these photos were created names by me, names I created due to my interpretation, my social interactions, and observations of the people I snapped pictures of.
The festival was a blast, and unfortunately for me, I wasn’t able to stay longer or go to the festival on the next day. The event was for two days, and I want to go back. I vow to go to AfroPunk annually till the day I die. I met new friends, had a blast, and got to see some great music. I thank, on behalf of Sucker Magazine, the people of Afropunk for this amazing experience and opportunity.